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2010 Acura "NSX" Spied

All right, I just read the story with the spy pics of Acura's new sports car, and while it's hard to tell what what the car will look like without its camouflage, my first impression is that it looks pretty good. The proportions are aggressive, if a bit bulky; it kind of reminds me of an Aston Martin Vantage. I guess we'll have to wait for its official unveiling to see the beauty (or horror) underneath. Unless Acura gets careless and allows a spy photographer to get a glimpse of an uncovered one.

My one big issue with this car is the name: NSX. Please, please, PLEASE Acura, do NOT call this front-engined grand tourer an NSX! The NSX was one of the greatest cars to ever come out of Japan. It was a true supercar, with a lightweight chassis, mid-engine V6, and stellar performance. And the fact that it was a Honda/Acura meant that it was reliable and affordable, especially when compared to European supercars of the time. To attach the name of NSX to this new oversized beast is an insult to the memory of a classic vehicle. It would be like Porsche deciding to discontinue the 911, and then slap the 911 badge on the upcoming Panamera.

I was heartbroken when Acura decided not to build the HSC concept car from a few years back; that car would have been awesome as a redesigned NSX. But from their recent company direction, it seems Acura isn't going to build cars like that anymore. So I beg you Acura: let the NSX badge rest in peace!

I'm actually not so optimistic about the overall shape of the car. it looks too much like the Lexus LFA that's been around for many years now and I'm getting tired of its shape and it hasn't even been released. It took me a while to get used to the shape of the concept that was shown last year but now the production shape seems very different than the cocept. I have to agree with you that the HSC concept was a much better replacement for the NSX. it had the same layout and it seem to be a very good evolution of the old one. I guess we'll see when they release the concept.

What is it with this discontinuation of Japanese sports cars? Acura eliminates the old NSX, then kills the Integra/RSX, and now ends development of the NSX successor (which I'm sure would have been a brilliant car, though I took issue with the name). Parent company Honda kills the Prelude, and with the future of the S2000 uncertain, they may end up with the Civic Si as their only enthusiast car. Toyota seems to have completely abandoned the sports car market, which they used to dominate with cars like the Celica, MR2, and most importantly, the Supra. All gone now. And it looks like their joint project with Subaru to develop a lightweight rear drive sports car may be canned. Mazda still has the MX-5 Miata, but it's no RX-7. They've talked about resurrecting that legendary vehicle for the better part of a decade, I have no idea what Mazda is waiting for. The only company left with vehicles that I would consider to be sports cars in its portfolio is Nissan, with the 370Z and the GT-R. I know there are plenty of automotive enthusiasts out there, so why are the Japanese not catering to this crowd anymore?

Yeah I know, and it really sucks. In the end, it truly is all about the Benjamins. I'm no economist, but I'm praying for a return to economic and financial stability, so that the automobile industry can return to profitability and hopefully recommence designing exciting cars that stir my soul, rather than safe and boring sedans and crossovers that are likely to sell even during tough times.